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Getting around the Philippines? How do I get around?

There are so many options you can use in getting around the Philippines.

They all start at Manila, which is the gateway to discover this extraordinarily beautiful and untouched country. No matter what forms of transport you are use to, you will find it here, even some you have never even heard of, like Jeepneys and Kalesa's just to name a few. One thing for sure though, in the Philippines there is transport aplenty!

Once you have arrived you can take any of the following forms of transportation.

Jeepneys are everywhere, they are mostly used for short journeys, but can be used for longer trips as well, similar to a bus service.

They are immediately idenitifiable and are most definatley part of the Philippines culture.

Where did they come from?

The original Jeepney was from the discarded US army Jeep of World War II and have evolved over the years to be what they are today. They are now hande made, lovingly put together at Las Pinas in Manila.

Each Jeepney has its own look and feel, with bright colours, polished chrome and a horn that will not leave you guessing.

They have a set route and will pick up whenever someone hails them and drop off when someone bangs on the roof.

Ensure you pay when you get in, always have small denomination notes and coins, don't expect change for large notes

How Much?

Fares start at P7.50 and you can even hire Jeepneys for the day for around P1,800. Make sure you negotiate the price before leaving.

In rural areas, timetables can be a bit of a lottery. Ususally once a Jeepney is full it will be time to leave. So if the scheduled time to leave is 8:00am and the Jeepney is full at 7:30am, it will leave. also if it not full, it will wait until it is. In some areas it may take three to four hours for the Jeepney to fill up. You can always pay the driver for the empty seats to get you moving, however don't forget to negotiate a price prior to leaving!

By far and away, Jeepney travel is the most popular form of transportation for Filipinos. It has to be on your must do list for any traveller wanting to feel part of life in the Philippines, it is fun, it is unique, it is the Philippines!

Kalesa's are horse drawn carriages, which were the nobilities way of travelling around the cities in the 18th Century. Not any more though.

The Kalesa is now more of a tourist attraction than a form of transportation, it can still be found in the touist areas of the major cities and some rural provincial areas still use them, but in the most part they exist for the tourist.

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